Kyma and Max?
Does anyone use Max with a Kyma? I have an opportunity to pick up a used Kyma and was wondering if Max sees the Kyma's audio I/O's, and how well it works with Max (through OSC I assume).
The demo's are amazing, and it seems to do some things that I wouldn't even know how to start a patch in with Max.
Like it? Worth it? Did it help businesswise with new clients?
I'm trying to decide to go more modular analog or more into the digital side.
I'm most curious about the Kyma ins and outs and how they work (or don't work) with Max.
Hi DonK,
I use Kyma and Max together all the time. My performance setup consists of Kyma and a Nord Modular G2 Engine (the rack unit without the keyboard) with Max distributing input from various physical controllers to both. Max talks to Kyma through OSC via Osculator, which works very well. I sometimes send controllers from Kyma to Max via midi, as Kyma doesn't do OSC directly.
Symbolic Sound has worked on a way that I believe allows Kyma to show up as an input/output destination in other software, but don't quote me on that. The last time I tried it (over a year ago) it was in a public beta state.
I love Kyma, and the SSC people and the forum are very helpful. Feel free to write me off list for details.
Phil
So is it possible to route audio from Max into the Kyma (and Kyma into Max) as well?
Would I still need an audio interface if I use a Kyma (I'd be using it on a macbookpro so firewire resources are limited)?
What is your typical workflow method to use Max, Kyma, HW samplers and synths?
Is the Capybara/Kyma system pretty complete out of the box or will I have to do a bunch of soldering up new patchbays for it?
And finally, any samples of Kyma/Max heavy projects I could listen to?
I got some taxes back and want to get more into modular synths, but the Kyma sounds so damn cool. How is Symbolic about updates, and is there a UB version?
One more question...
Is there a lot that Kyma does that Max running on a dual quadcore with something like an RME fireface400 interface couldn't do?
On May 6, 2008, at 5:38 PM, Don K wrote:
>
> So is it possible to route audio from Max into the Kyma (and Kyma
> into Max) as well?
> Would I still need an audio interface if I use a Kyma (I'd be using
> it on a macbookpro so firewire resources are limited)?
> What is your typical workflow method to use Max, Kyma, HW samplers
> and synths?
> Is the Capybara/Kyma system pretty complete out of the box or will I
> have to do a bunch of soldering up new patchbays for it?
>
> And finally, any samples of Kyma/Max heavy projects I could listen to?
>
> I got some taxes back and want to get more into modular synths, but
> the Kyma sounds so damn cool. How is Symbolic about updates, and is
> there a UB version?
The Kyma environment is UB and runs great on Intel Macs (much faster
than the PPC ones). It is a very deep system which I think compliments
Max in many ways. I tend to use Max for control and to integrate Kyma
sounds into larger systems.
I've written a PPC/Intel external for Max 4.6/5.0 which allows you to
send controller values directly to the Capybara via firewire. I hope
to release a new version in coming months which also allows one to
send note information as well.
Using OSCulator for OSC to Capybara control is good to.
As far as running audio in/out of the Capybara to Max via firewire
your only option is by flashing the Capybara's Flame interface box
with the A/VC firmware available on the SSC website. I'm almost
positive you'll want an audio interface as well (like your fireface)
without it you'd be spending energy juggling general I/O and synthesis
in Kyma - workable but by no means ideal.
Cheers,
-greg
Hi DonK and Greg,
[good to hear about your Max object, Greg - I was using the flame object until I moved to intel, and then had to go to Osculator).
I agree with Greg - you're going to want to keep your audio interface if you're doing audio with the powerbook. The A/VC firmware that Greg mentions is the audio i/o that I was referring to, but I really haven't used it enough to say how it works. In performance I only use Kyma and the Nord to produce audio, and use my powerbook just for control messages (and maybe eventually video with jitter, or getting control info from video input with jitter - I still have cpu left on the Mac that I could do something with).
One thing to keep in mind is that there is a learning curve (though I think to get started the learning curve is not as much as Max, but as Greg says it is deep - you'll be learning a bit about writing code in Smalltalk and it's Kyma varient, Capytalk), and the UI is pretty different from any other program I've ever used. But it is fairly logical and thought out.
You won't need to do any soldering. The basic system is powerful enough to get started, but after you've checked it out you'd probably be happier with two extra cards (I worked with the basic system for maybe 6 or 8 months and got plenty of work done, but I was glad to get the extra power).
Phil
Thanks for your help and insight gentlemen. I think I have some stuff to think about. It's only been about 6 months since I started using Max, and I'm finally seeing the top of the first big hill in the learning curve. I've made very little music, just a lot of little weird messes and sound sketches. So, I'm still deciding do I go Kyma or modular synth and what you guys have said will help me decide. Thanks for your feedback on the Kyma...I wish I had the money to go both modular rack and a Kyma. :)
Thanks.